Nowotny: Bayer Leverkusen will once again consider former German international Jens Nowotny for selection after the central defender agreed to end his legal action against the Bundesliga club. Nowotny, previously Leverkusen's captain, had wanted the club to pay him six months, rather than six weeks, of sick pay to cover his time recovering from a series of knee injuries.

Berbatov: Bayer Leverkusen striker Dimitar Berbatov has been named Bulgaria's player of the year for the second time running after a poll of sports writers. Celtic midfielder Stilian Petrov was second in the poll and Levski Sofia midfielder Daniel Borimirov third. CSKA Sofia's Miodrag Jesic won the coach's award ahead of Stanimir Stoilov of Levski Sofia and Litex Lovech's Lupko Petrovich.

Nigeria: Nigeria are holding talks with three English clubs over the release of players for the African Nations Cup. "National coach Austin Eguavoen will meet officials of West Brom, Everton and Bolton to discuss our players being released in time for the tournament," a spokesman for the Nigerian FA said.

D. Bucharest: Ioan Andone resigned as Dinamo Bucharest coach on Friday even though his team lead the Romanian first division. "I'm really sad to leave my team but I have to do it now because I don't want to be fired," Andone told Reuters without elaborating. Romanian media reported that there has been rising tension between Andone and club executive president Ioan Becali.

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